Current-collecting device



July 27 1926.

J. BURKE k CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE Filed August 50, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 27 1926.

J. BURKE CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE Filed August 30. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fl Q? INV ENTOR 15M)? 3 ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 192%). i p 4,1

u NIT 11a as smear o s Fires- VJAMES BURKE, osnmn, rnnnsynvnma, BURKE ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANTA.

CURRENT-COLLECTING DEVICE;

Application filed August so, 1923. Seria1-"N6.-]660, 103:

V This in venfionrelates to current collectventi'onn than those above mentioned will lug; devices such as commutators and collecaugear from the-following description taken tors adaptedfor use in dynamo electric in connection-with the-accompanying drawv machines. is primary object of my inven ing s which show one embodiment of my in tio'n ist'o provide an" improved means and vention and wherein jme liming; to a ininhnumthe Fig. lis aa sectional view ofth'e commuheat of b'rns is, commutators, collectors or of the-dynamo. electric machine and and I ssoei'atedparts by reason of friction shows in elevation a brush holder conat the collecting surfaces and for other structed in accordance with my invention. "causes. One of? the important results at- F lie a sectional view taken on the co lainedby use of such means and method line 2-201: Fig. 1 and shows a portion of 18 to greatly increase the current carry cathev structure for supportingthe brush holdpacity; of the collecting device. ers as well as the means. employed for creat- In th'e'improved construction designed in an artificial :cireulationor draft of air. accordance witlrmy invention provision is a. sectional view taken on the-H65 made for absorbing and carrying away; heat line 3+3 otFigZ.

the parts which it iscesired to main- Int-he drawing 10 represents a shaft of hill cool, by causing a large volumeof coolthe dynamo electric machine journaled'in ing air to pass is contact'with or adjacent suitable bearings inastationary supporting to these parts and in the particular embodimember 11. The shaft 10 carries a com- To ment or my invention here illustrated, this mutator 12 which is formed of conducting cooling airis caused-to pass along the sursegments 18 which are suitably held and tace of the commutator and adjacent to and supported by members la and 15 in almanalong the con'nnutator brushes. ner weil known in the art. The segments My invention is particularly adapted for are suitably spaced from one-another by use in dynamo electric machines wherein the insulating strips and connectors 15' serve to eomn'mtator rot-ates at a high peripheral connect the commutator segments with the speed. In such machines unless special prorotor windings. vision. is made for dissipating the heat gem A brush holder 18 is supported from the p eratecl, the friction of the brushes together nen'ibe-r 11 by meansof a member 16which with other sources of heat such as theeleccomprises two rings 55 and": 56 encircling trical resistance losses at the contact sur-' the shard; 10 of the'dynamo electric machine faces ofthe brush and commutator will and joined to one another byarms 57'. Incause such, a rise intemperature as will seterposed between the ring 56 and the brush riously interfere with the effective operaholder 18 is-an insulating member 17 of arcticn of the commutator and ultimately denet orm as shown in Fig. 1.

stroy utility. My invention is also'adapt- 'i-l'ie machine illustrated is adapted'to emed'tor embodiment in a structure which will ploy four brush holders similar to the one be suitable for use in such places as cement hown and the arcuate insulating members 49 mills where in the past the use of colleci7 eaen subtend soas to forms circular 9o torshave been accompanied by disadvan baiiie, the function of which will be par tages, due to the-presence of hard particles ticulsrly POiIl-tfitlf out hereafter. m, the air which becamc lod'ge'd" on the-con- The brush holder comprises a body- 19 ta; su ces otthe" collectors; and-caused preferably'for mecljot"cast brassi This case i 4 an eicesslve'abrasioilg. of these surfaces "11g comprises a supportingplateoeyokeny' causing to move at a sufficient vemember QOperto'r-atedQat 21- and "22" fouatlocltyalong the contacting surfaces,- the taehment to thebracket 16;;there beingsui '"e particles may be prevented f-roin able insulatingbushings; not shown; ton nb e lod inmt H eorL su ting the attach ng bolts, ascertain ngtee supportingmy" sc -semi approximately right angles thereto is a por- (ion formed with an opening 25 for the reception ot' the commutator brush 23. The brush is normally maintained in engagement with the commutator by means of tingers 2? which are pivoted to the portion 2% of the casting l9 and are forced against the end of the brush by means of springs 28. One end of each spring engages the finger 27 at 30 and the other end is secured to a shaft 3 One of the shafts 31 is pivoted in a lug 32 formed integral with the portion 2a of the casting and in a central lug 3S likewise 'lormed integrally with the portion The other shaft 31 is pivoted in the central lug 83 and. also in a connect-- ing web member which forms one wall of a recess 36 in the supporting plate 20. The shafts ill have lined thereto worm wheels 87 which engage with worms carried by the lug 32 and the web 85. The worms 38 are provided with knobs or handles 39 through whi h the worm may be turned and the tension of the springs 28 adjusted.

The central lug 33 is formed with a screw threaded opening 43 for reception of the bolt which is adapted to clamp the brush pigtail to the casting 19 and so insure electrical contact between the brush and casting. The lug is also formed with an opening ell to receive the lead from the external lin The member 2% of the casting if} at each side of the opening is formed wit-n elongated passages do which are joined by an opening l? formed in the su ipoiting plate 20. This opening; l? comn'ninicatcs directly with the space 49 between the brush holder 18 and the casing 11. The arcuate ballle 17 is cut away at this point to provide tree communication between the opening l? and space 41-9.

Suitably supported by the member 15 and adapted to rotate with the shall 10 is a plate 50 carrying fan blades 51 which are adapted to draw air from the space 49 and discharge the same outwardly tlllOlhQfll and between the arms 57. It ill be thus seen that the air around the commutator ments will be drawn into the 'Jaesao'es lfi in a manner similar to that occurrin vacuum cleaner. The openings to the passages 4L6 function much like vacuum cleaner nozzles. The air which is passing along th surface of the commutator will be dr. \"n away from this surface at a high veloc through the nozzle openings of the passages L6. This air will then pass to the connecting opening at? in the plate 20 and be drawn by the fan blades 51 outwardly into the space or chamber 41-9 and from thence forced into the outer air. In this manner a constant current of air is maintained in contact with the segments and the contacting; edges of the brushes and likewise throng i the metal brush holder in such a manner that heat generated by friction of the brushes with the commutator segments or by sparking or otherwise will be quickly dissipated. The insulating members 17 serve. as a battle to form :1 pasta to cause a s ncient amount of the air to be drawn through the passages l6 instead of being drawn directly from the surface of the commutator into the space The general directions of the currents of air are indicated by arrows on the drawing.

Instead or providing; a plurality oi? members 1.7, the ballle may be formed of a single circular member surrounding the shaft 10 or if desired, the ring 56 may be extended inwardly to form the circular baille. In the latter case, the insulating members 17 would not extend beyond the limits of the brush holder.

By reversingthe connections between the fan and passages 46, or if desired by employing a blower in communication with the chamber 4:9 it is possible to reverse the direction of flow o'l air through the passages 416 of the brush holder. Such a blower may, for certain purposes be supplied with pure air from any suitable source.

lVhile in the e11'1l; )din1ent of my invention here illustrated. I disclose the vacuum nozzles as parts of the brush holders. it will be understood that if desired, separate nozzles may be employed, which may be suitably located with reference to the surface of the commutator or other parts.

By the use 0t my invention it is possible to design machines with shorter commutator segn'rents than now employed and by e1uploying' a requisitev pressure on the brus res still maintain an etl'ective contact with the commutator segments.

I claim 1. A brush holder formed with a brush receiving openingand an opening adjacent thereto and extending; substantially the full length of one side of said brush receiving}; opening, said latter opening; being adapted to :form a passage for a cooling current of air.

2. In a dynamo electric machine a brush holder formed with a brush receiving opening and openings adjacent to and spaced from said brush receiving opening, said latter opening being adapted to form air passages and means for causing; cooling currents of air to How through said passages.

3. i, dynamo electric machine having a rotary sha'lt a brush holder formed with a brush receiving opening and air conducting n for the outgoi g air so as passages adjacent; to and spaced from said I brush receiving opening and means supported by and rotating with said shaft for causing cooling currents of air to flow through said passages.

4. A dynamo electric machine having a co nmiu'ator brush holders each. formed with an opening and brush lncatedin said opening, saidholder being formed with air passages adjacent to said opening, means for causing. acne-ling current of air to d w circumferentially along the surface of Said commutator and through said passage and means forcausing a cooling current of air to flow along the surface of said commutator in an axial direction between said brush holders.

5. A dynamo electric machine having shaft, a commutator, a brush holder formed with an opening and a brush located in said opening and bearing upon said commutator, said holder being formed with air passages adjacent to said ooening and a fan actuated by said shaft for causing cooling currents of air to flow along the surface of said commutator adjacent to the points of contact of said brush with said commutator and thence through said passages.

6. A dynamo electric machine having a shaft, a commutator, a brush holder formed with an opening and a brush located in said opening and bearing upon said commutator, said holder being formed with air passages at opposite sides of and adjacent to said opening and a fan supported by said shaft for causing cooling currents of to flow along the surface of said commutator adjacent to the points of contact of said brush with said commutator and thence through said passages.

7. In a brush holder a body portion formed with a brush receiving opening of approximately rectangular section, said body being also formed with air passages spaced from said opening and extending through said body portion at opposite sides of said opening. 7

8. In a dynamo electric machine a commu tator, a brush holder having a body portion formed with a brush receiving opening of approximately rectangular section, said body portion being also formed with air passages extending through said body portion at'opposite sides of said opening, said passages terminating in elongated openings adjacent to the points of contact of said brush and commutator.

9. In a dynamo electric machine a commutator. a brush holder having a body portion formed with a brush receiving opening of approximately rectangular section, said body portion being also formed with air passages extending through said body portion at opposite sides of said opening, said passages terminating in elongated openings adjacent to the points of contact of said brush and commutator, and means for causing air to pass across the surface of said commutator and thence through said passages.

10. A brush holder having a body portion formed with a brush receiving opening of 1 1 PULL.

ap 'iroxima'tely rec I cross section and: air passages extending through said body portion and having extended walls adjacent three sides of said opening.

1-1. A brush holder having a body portion formed with a brush receiving opening of approximately rectangular cross section, air passages extending through said body portion. and having extended ails adjacent three sides of said opening, and means for causing air to circulate through said passages.

12. The combination with a casing of a dynamo electric machine having a commutator, bru hes and brush holders located in g, said brush holders each being said casin formed with passages terminating at one end adjacent the surface of said commutator and at the other end at a side of the brush holder adjacent the casing, a fan interme diate said casing and brush holder adapted to draw air along the surface of said commutator hrough said passage and to dis charge the same outwardly in said casing.

13. A dynamo electric machine having a rotor, 'a commutator. brushes and brush holders, said brush holders being formed with air passages which terminate at one side thereof, a fan secured to said rotor and located adjacent the said side of said brush holders and a battle located between the fan and the other terminals of said passages whereby said fan causes a circulation of air through said passages.

14;. A dynamo electric machine having a rotor, a commutator, brushes and brush holders, said brush holders being formed with air passages which terminate at one side thereof, afan secured to said rotor and lo- .cated adjacent the said side of said brush holders and a circular baffle extending around the dynamo electric machine shaft and located between the fan and the other terminals of said passages whereby said fan causes a circulation of air through said passages.

' 15. A method to be employed in connection with the operation of a commutator, which comprises causing a sleet of air to pass circumferentially along the surface. of the commutator and withdrawing said sheet from the vicinity of said surface at a high velocity. 4

16. A method to be employed in connection with the operation of a commutator comprising causing a current of air to be directed circuinferentially along the suriace of a commutator and to be withdrawn from said surface through narrow elongated openlugs.

17. A method to be employed in connection with the operation of a commutator com prising causing a current ofair to be di rected along the surface of a commutator and to be withdrawn. from said surface in a direction approximately normal thereto through narrow openings. which are elongated in a direction substantially parallel to the commutator axis.

18. A method adapted to be employed in connection with the operation of a col lecting device comprising a commutator,

brush and brush holder, which method com-- prises withdrawing air at a high velocity from the vicinity of the commutator surface 10 through narrow elongated openings in the brush holder.

JAMES BUR KR. 

